The mess surrounding Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin hadn't even been cleaned up yet, and he still had a mountain of problems to sort through. And now, instead of helping, Han Zhi had the audacity to plot against Song Yan and provoke Song Chuyi. Even more outrageously, he was considering killing the Song siblings right here... Remembering the letter he'd received yesterday, his palms were already cmmy with sweat.

  If Song Chuyi and Song Yan died today, by tomorrow the entire capital would know about the Prince of Commandery and the Marquis of Jinxiang's joint venture in running a gambling den! Even Lord Chen, who oversaw the Imperial Censorate, wouldn't be able to silence the censors. Running a gambling den, harming lives, loaning at exorbitant rates...

  He looked at his cousin, someone he had always deeply trusted, with disappointment and an intense surge of anger. "Do you realize that if you kill them today, I'll be finished tomorrow?!"

  Han Zhi backed up a few steps, leaning against the door, silent for a long moment. Strangely enough, he had initially pnned to help his cousin by leveraging Song Yan's items and debts against Song Chuyi, forcing her to seek favors and support. With both Grand Secretary Song and Song Jue involved in the case of official bribery, their influence could have turned the situation around. Even Jinyiwei's commander, Lai Chenglong, wouldn't have dared to push too far with those two grand secretaries on their side.

  But just as he was about to execute this pn, a surge of anger overwhelmed him, making him want to kill Song Chuyi and Song Yan on the spot. Thinking back to Song Chuyi's smug smile and provoking words, and then to the sudden appearance of the Prince of Commandery, Han Zhi had a sudden realization—he had fallen into her trap. She had deliberately enraged him, making him appear impulsive and self-centered in the Prince's eyes, oblivious to the rger picture.

  Seeing Han Zhi's hesitation, the Prince of Commandery scoffed, pushed open the door, and looked out. Song Chuyi was calmly talking to Song Yan with a rexed smile as if everything was under her control.

  That was the type of ally he needed. He turned to Guanshan, issuing instructions over Han Zhi's head: "Apologize to Sixth Miss Song on behalf of your young lord, admit his rashness, and return all their belongings and people. Escort them out properly."

  It was insufficient but a start. Ideally, he'd personally apologize to Song Chuyi and Song Yan, but that would reveal too much. His resentment toward Han Zhi deepened, and he shouted at Guanshan, "What are you waiting for?"

  Over the years, the Marquis of Jinxiang's household had been unwavering in their support of the Eastern Pace faction led by Consort Fan, and what had once been a favor had become routine. The Prince of Commandery had come to consider the Marquis's household—and even Han Zhi himself—as his own. Commanding them directly felt only natural to him.

  Guanshan didn't dare dey any further. He quickly ran downstairs, apologizing profusely, and instructed others to bring out A Heng's family and Jiang Yuan, handing over all of A Heng's signed promissory notes in an envelope.

  Song Yan took the envelope, inspected each item carefully, and clipped his sachet back onto its cord before throwing the rest into a burning brazier, watching it turn to ash in seconds.

  Making one mistake was enough; he would never again become a burden to his sister, leaving himself vulnerable to others' schemes.

  A Heng shuffled forward, tearfully grabbing Song Yan's arm. "Thank you, brother. If it weren't for you... my life would've been ruined here..." He looked at Song Yan, his expression pitiful. "But, as, I'm of no use now. I have nothing, nowhere to go... only my poor wife..."

  Song Chuyi observed him with a cold gaze, her attention shifting to the woman huddling with her child, shivering behind A Heng. She smirked inwardly. Even now, he was still trying to exploit Song Yan's sympathy after everything he'd already gotten from Han Zhi.

  Disappointment fshed in Song Yan's eyes as he called Guanshan over, pointing to A Heng. "How much money did you give him?"

  Guanshan froze, instinctively gncing up at the second floor.

  Realizing what was happening, A Heng quickly pushed his wife and child forward, shrieking, "It wasn't my fault, Yan! It wasn't my fault! She was the one—this ignorant, greedy woman—who forced me to lie to you... all for a few meals, some medicine... I had no choice!"

  Cowardly and deceitful, the refined and cultured image he had carefully crafted disintegrated, revealing a despicable man. Song Yan finally understood just how vile people could be. He had nearly thrown his life away for someone like this, nearly dragged his sister down with him.

  A Heng's wife, clutching her child, stumbled to the ground, covering her face as she sobbed pitifully.

  Song Yan finally grasped the complexities of human nature, gncing at A Heng's ornate, brightly colored purse and sachet before noticing his wife dressed in pin clothes with only a wooden hairpin holding her hair up. He suddenly felt as if he understood much more.

  A Heng squirmed under Song Yan's intense gaze and looked toward Guanshan for help, hoping he might intervene—he could sense that Song Yan was no longer as naive as before.

  Song Yan couldn't be bothered to spare A Heng another gnce. A person like him wasn't worth the effort—it was enough simply not to take him along today, leaving him to bear the brunt of Han Zhi's wrath as colteral damage.

  He no longer had any desire to py the "good guy." Everyone needed to face the consequences of their actions, A Heng included, and so did he.

  A Heng had expected Song Yan to sh out at him with righteous fury or perhaps order the household servants to give him a beating. But to his surprise, Song Yan merely took his sister's hand and turned to leave without a word.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, A Heng thought of the two thousand taels tucked in his pocket and recalled the warm affection of the girls at Yihong Courtyard. A smile of relief began to spread across his face—but it hadn't even reached his eyes before Guanshan delivered a brutal kick, sending him crashing headfirst into the edge of a long table. His vision went dark as he lost consciousness.